Lightning Sign Tom Pyatt to Two-Year Extension

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced on Monday that they have signed center Tom Pyatt to a two-year contract extension worth $1.2 million. The deal will pay him $600,000 per season. He would have been eligible for restricted free agency this summer. In 35 games so far this season, he has three goals and two assists for five points. This is an okay depth signing for the Lightning, as Pyatt will bring some speed and versatility to the lineup. However, he is not a big point producing forward at the NHL level, so he will likely continue to play a fourth line role for the team over the next two seasons.

Lightning Sign Tom Pyatt to One-Year Deal

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have signed center Tom Pyatt to a one-year, two-way contract worth $525,000 at the NHL level. In 61 games last season with the Montreal Canadiens, he had two goals and five assists for seven points. This is an okay depth signing for the Lightning, as Pyatt will bring plenty of speed and versatility to the lineup. However, he is not a big point producing forward at the NHL level, so he will likely play a fourth line role with Tampa Bay next season.

Canadiens Re-Sign Forwards Pyatt and Pouliot

The Montreal Canadiens announced today that they have signed left wings Tom Pyatt and Benoit Pouliot to one-year contracts. Pyatt will make $500,000 next season, while Pouliot's contract is worth $1.375 million. Both players were eligible for restricted free agency on July 1. Pyatt, who was acquired from the New York Rangers last summer in the Scott Gomez trade, had two goals and three assists for five points in 40 games with the Canadiens last season. He also appeared in 41 games with Hamilton of the AHL, scoring 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points. Pouliot, who was acquired from the Minnesota Wild last November for Guillaume Latendresse, had 17 goals and 11 assists for 28 points with the Wild and Canadiens. He also appeared in three games with Hamilton on a conditioning assignment, scoring one goal and two assists. These aren't bad signings for the Canadiens, as Pyatt and Pouliot were both hard-working players for the team last season. Pyatt has plenty of speed and is a very versatile forward, as he can play both center and wing, making him a good fit for the fourth line next season. Pouliot played extremely well for the Canadiens after joining the team last November and should continue to be a good fit next season. Like Pyatt, Pouliot is a versatile player, as he can play both center and the wing. He also has plenty of offensive upside and can rack up points when he is on his game. If Pouliot can continue to improve his play next season with the Canadiens, he could potentially be a 20-30 scorer with the club.

Canadiens Acquire Scott Gomez from Rangers in Huge Trade

The Montreal Canadiens made a huge splash the day before free agency began and acquired the number one center they had been seeking. The Canadiens acquired center Scott Gomez, left wing Tom Pyatt, and defenseman Michael Busto from the New York Rangers in exchange for left wing Chris Higgins, defenseman Doug Janik, and prospect defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko. The trade comes after months of speculation that the Canadiens were seeking a top center for their team. Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier and Philadelphia Flyers center Daniel Briere were the two forwards who popped up frequently in trade rumors with the Canadiens since the end of the season, while Gomez popped up in recent weeks. In 77 games last season with the Rangers, Gomez scored 16 goals and 42 assists for 58 points. Higgins struggled last season with the Canadiens, scoring 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points. Janik split time between the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens last season, appearing in 15 games and scoring one assist. Prospects Tom Pyatt, Michael Busto, Ryan McDonah, and Pavel Valentenko have yet to see any NHL action.

I’m not a big fan of this trade. I think the Canadiens gave up a little too much. Gomez is an extremely talented forward who can score goals, pass the puck, and provide a team with lots of leadership. He struggled a bit last season offensively, but should be able to rebound next season. However, if he struggles again, you can be sure the “boo birds” in Montreal will heckle him mercilessly. Pyatt showed lots of promise at the junior level, but since arriving in the AHL in 2006, his production has dropped significantly. He likely won’t be any better than a checking line forward at the NHL level, but could provide decent two-way skill. Busto had a couple of productive seasons in the WHL, but hasn’t been able to repeat his success in recent years. He could become a fifth or sixth depth defenseman for the Canadiens in the future.

Despite have a bad year in 2008-09, Higgins still has good offensive skills and the potential to score 30 goals in a season. He will be a good second-line center for the Rangers. No word if the Rangers intend on signing Janik, as he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. If they do sign him, he will likely be a depth defenseman who won’t see much playing time. McDonagh is an extremely talented defenseman who has lots of offensive potential. He has the potential to become a top-two defenseman and will likely be a fixture on the Rangers’ blueline for years to come. I think the Canadiens are going to regret getting rid of him. Valentenko left the Canadiens last fall for the KHL because the team refused him a roster spot, saying he needed more time to develop. He plays with some grit and toughness and could be a good fit for the Rangers if they can get him to come back from Russia. However, I wouldn’t get my hopes up as I don’t think he’s ready for the NHL. Valentenko may opt to stay in Russia again if the Rangers can’t guarantee him a roster spot next season.